1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information intermediary apparatus, an information management apparatus, and an information communication system. In particular, the present invention relates to an information intermediary apparatus for registering and searching user information, an information management apparatus for storing and managing the registered user information as well as distributing advertisements based on the user information to appropriate browsers, including a charge system that does not require cash, and an information communication system comprising the information intermediary apparatus and the information management apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an information exchange and intermediary apparatus for electronically intermediating information exchanges among users is known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open No. H10-232893 discloses apparatus for intermediating information exchanges among users, as a World Wide Web server on the Internet.
Also, cellular phones have recently become widely used recently and are used by a wide variety of users as business tools and communication tools.
Moreover, there is a system, for example, for distributing advertisements relating to specific keywords to those who search information based on the keywords on the Internet, as this type of a server. Another example is a system for previously collecting a plurality of pieces of personal information and distributing advertisements relating to the personal information by e-mail. Either server compares information showing the attributes of browsers for distributing advertisements and distribution conditions of the advertisements, and distributes advertisements when the attribute information and the conditions coincide.
However, it is important to provide information that matches users' needs and is necessary to provide information that meets users' requirements more when exchanging information. Also, the release of personal information made by information disclosures has become a problem.
Further, there are advertisements where distribution conditions can be clearly defined by the contents of the advertisements, as well as those cannot. On this account, there has been a problem that effective distribution of advertisements is not necessarily made by a mere accordance of information showing the attributes of browsers for distributing advertisements and distribution conditions of advertisements.
Furthermore, according to conventional information exchange and intermediary apparatuses, fees for the services have to be paid to the apparatuses by cash. On this account, there has been a problem that a user has to prepare cash such as coins. There has also been a problem that it is not preferred in the interests of crime prevention since the paid fees are stored in the apparatuses for a certain period of time.